


Eternity

by sunny_impalas



Series: Original Work [3]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Cute, Death, Enemies to Lovers, Existential, Humans, Love, Other, Short, Short & Sweet, Short Story, i guess, life - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2020-01-15 13:53:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18500344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunny_impalas/pseuds/sunny_impalas
Summary: “Nothing is a matter of life and death except life and death.”





	Eternity

In the beginning, there was nothing. So much nothing, it turned into a something. In the beginning there was nothing but gas and particles of the elements that would one day create the Milky Way galaxy, that would one day create the Sun, that would one day create Earth, that would one day create Life.

But with Life, there had to be a counterpart to balance the growth, Death. At first, Life loathed Death, taking their creatures from the world they had so carefully created. Death wished they could be like Life, creating instead of taking. But Death only knew how to take, not create.

Life started small, not knowing the extent of their abilities. They created single celled organisms, their only capability to absorb nutrients from the water and to split themselves into exact copies of themselves. Eventually, those simple creatures released so much oxygen that they created an atmosphere. An atmosphere that cooled the boiling land. An atmosphere that made Life’s single celled organism then grow to synthesize light from the Sun into energy.

Then with work and love from Life, that tiny single celled organisms grew into trilobites and corals and fish. Then the land started to grow plants and food. Those fish crawled onto land, their fins slowly turning into feet. They became the first amphibians. Then they learned how to lay eggs without returning to their once beloved ocean, and they became the first reptiles.

One day Life confronted Death, demanding that they stop taking their creatures. Death listened patiently, their face not changing as Life spoke. After Life finished, their breath adding to the atmosphere, Death spoke.

“I came here to fulfill a purpose, just the same as you. I cannot stop taking your creations just as you cannot stop creating them. But I will tell you that they are peaceful, no pain exists where they are.”

And they left.

Millions of years later, the Universe called for change, and so change came. The great titans Life had created all left with Death when an asteroid hit Life’s beautiful planet and killed them all. Life was devastated, but took comfort in the ones that were left. Life confronted Death again, claiming it was their fault. Once again, Death listened to Life and spoke when the other stopped.

“I did not send that rock to take your creatures. I am not as consumed with greed as you think I am, but once again I will tell you that your creatures are peaceful where they are. There is no pain for them where they are.”

And once again, they left.

Over time, Life began a new kind of creature. This one birthed live young instead of laying eggs, this one made milk for its child. Life fell in love with this creature and soon different variations of this creature were spread across the world. And Death continued to take the creatures Life created. Life had stopped caring about Death taking their creatures. Life wondered where their creatures went when their time on this planet was done.

Whenever confronted though, Death refused to tell Life where their creatures were. Life knew their body stayed and became part of the soil, but where did their soul go? Eventually though, the thought stopped tormenting Life and they went back to creating.

One day Death realized they had grabbed the soul of a new creature. This one clearly ate flora, but there was something strange about it. It grabbed it’s food with its feet. And it didn’t have any claws or any way to protect itself from predators. So, for the first time in eternity, Death confronted Life.

Death spoke calmly with Life, saying that the new species would die out. But Life simply laughed and shook their head, a knowing look on their face.

“I have faith in it.” They said, and they went back to creating a baby for one of it’s pregnant creatures.

Death shook their head and muttered something, but just the same as the past times, they left once more.

Life and Death learned to coexist. Life secretly took note of Death’s favorite creatures and made sure that there were always plenty of them for Death to take. And Death secretly started to put the souls into Life’s creatures, the new soul mixing with old. Life’s creatures lived once more.

But, once again, the Universe wanted change and so change came. The cold weather which Life’s fauna were built for melted away, all except for that odd creature that grabbed things with its feet. Death was surprised, but Life just smiled and made new creatures and more of the funny ones.

Death had come to harvest the soul of one of the odd creatures when they noticed something strange. Another one of its kind was crying over its body as it was lowered into the ground. And so, when the soul was packed safely away, for the second time in eternity, Death confronted Life.

“Why was it mourning the other? None of your other creatures do that.”

“You’d be surprised, dear.”

The name surprised Death, Life looked equally shocked. And for the fourth time, Death left Life just as quickly as they had come. But, for the first time, Life reached for Death as the disappeared. It was a mere twitch of their hand, but Death had seen it and before they left completely, they smiled.

Life’s creatures came and went, but the strange ones, which had taken to calling themselves ‘humans’, stayed constant. They had learned how to farm, they built grand cities and temples to gods that they would never knew didn’t exist. Death felt guilt whenever they called for absent gods when their time came. But with these great advancements came conflict. War, Famine, Conquest, and Illness plagued the humans. But, they stayed constant no matter these ailments.

Soon, the humans developed structured languages. They were all different, but Life and Death always heard their pleas. Most asked for more Life, whether for them or someone else, they always begged for more. But, some wished for an early death. Only few went through with their wish, others were frightened by the promise of eternal damnation by their absent god if they went through with it.

Death was sat watching the humans squabble between themselves, their politicians claiming to act for their gods, but how can you be commanded by a god’s hand when no one’s there to command you? Death didn’t move when Life appeared next to them, sitting next to them and watching.

“You’re creations are beautiful.” Death whispered, watching them go.

“They’re destroying the very place made for them.”  
“Such is their nature.”

They lapsed into silence, a silence they hadn’t known since the creation of this horrid eternity. Life subtly grabbed Death’s hand. Death took a breath, their chest hurting.

“What was that quote they made? About sides of coins?” Life asked, trying to ignore the feeling of Death’s hand in theirs.

“‘Two sides of the same coin.’” Death whispered.

“‘Yin and Yang.” Life said, their voice soft.

“I think the humans knew you couldn’t have one without the other longer than us.”  
Death laughed softly, shaking their head and looking at Life. “I think it was just you who didn’t know.”

Life smiled at Death, and shrugged.

“You’re probably right.”


End file.
